Once again, these weren't simple tap-ins. He sent an 18-meter (yard) shot
over the goalkeeper's head, drove a home a 20-meter (yard) shot and then curved
in a free kick for the third.
There are many more examples of his prowess, but Rooney doesn't hog all the
goals.
He has the vision and the skill to pick out teammates with accurate,
well-timed passes that often lead to goals. He also knows his powerful build and
impressive control make it almost impossible for defenders to take the ball from
him. When opponents try to shackle him with two or three defenders, that leaves
teammates unmarked and he slips the ball out for them to score. The sort of
thing Pele used to do.
Pele, who marked his World Cup debut at age 17 with two goals in the final
and went on to win three titles, described Rooney as an exciting talent with
composure beyond his years.
Zico said he admired Rooney's pace, awareness and power.
"He has the sort of forward's instinct you cannot buy and no coach can
teach," France striker Thierry Henry said. "You are born with it. He can shoot
from distance, get on the end of crosses, hit free kicks, anything. I like
people who can make me jump off my feet."
Rooney could become the greatest English player ever.
Glenn Hoddle, a former England playmaker who went on to coach the national
team, says Rooney has the ability to make a good team great, like Michel Platini
did for 1984 European champion France and Maradona for 1986 World Cup champion
Argentina.
"We had Bobby Charlton in 1966 (when England won its only World Cup)," said
Hoddle, who possessed Rooney's ability to make defense-splitting passes or score
goals from long range. "A player who can lift us to another level."
Rooney, whose father Wayne Sr., won local amateur boxing titles, used to box
in the local gym owned by his uncle, Richie. So the youngster has the muscular
ability to shrug off defenders that Charlton and Hoddle never owned. Like
another English great, Kevin Keegan, he has vision inside the area and dribbling
skills, but Keegan didn't score many long-range goals.
